He Was There and Then He Wasn't

After watching a considerable amount of coverage of the passing of Tim Russert on MSNBC (a channel I never watch because it's so much in the bag for Democrats), I couldn't help but think about the shock of a sudden passing like Tim's. He was only 58, at the peak of his career, had just celebrated his son's graduation from college with a vacation trip with his family to Italy, and was hard at work on Sunday's show. He literally had everything going for him, and poof, just like that he was gone.

The networks all had to scramble to put memorial pieces together, something which they do routinely for people who have reached the age when passing is not unexpected, or who have been given a limited time to live due to illness. I'm sure every network has a piece already created for Walter Cronkite, who at 91, has probably had eulogy film prepared for him for 15 years. They're putting Ted Kennedy's together as we speak, given his precarious future, but nobody expected a 58-year old guy in otherwise good health to just drop over.

Cancer is a cruel disease for the victims, but is in some ways more merciful for the families and friends because they have an opportunity to prepare themselves mentally and emotionally for the loss which they already know is coming. When somebody goes as suddenly as Russert did, either because of a heart attack, an accident, or even a criminal act, the family goes immediately from good times to grief. You have to really feel for them.

Russert's passing will undoubtedly make a lot of people take another look at what's important in their lives, and that's probably good.